MS8824
O'CONNELL, John Phillip
| Service Number: | 4653 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | Overseas Training Brigade |
| Born: | Adelaide, South Australia, 1 October 1875 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia, 11 July 1938, aged 62 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
West Terrace Cemetery (AIF Section) Section: LO, Road: 1AN, Site No: 3 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 4653, 27th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 4653, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 4653, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Adelaide | |
| 29 Oct 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, 48th Infantry Battalion | |
| 1 Dec 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, 27th Infantry Battalion | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Sergeant, 4653, 27th Infantry Battalion | |
| 31 Aug 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Overseas Training Brigade |
Help us honour John Phillip O'Connell's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Lemar
John was the son of John O’CONNELL & Amy WHITTLE and was born on the 1st of October 1875 in Adelaide, SA.
His parents were married on the 24th of February 1874 at the residence of Amy’s parents, in Adelaide.
John was the eldest child born into the family of 4 children.
John was a Miner.
He married Olive Clarence May EVANS on the 9th of April 1907 in the Holy Trinity Vestry, Adelaide SA.
Olive was the daughter of William EVANS & Elizabeth JAMES and was born on the 21st of January 1884 in Pt Adelaide, SA.
They made their first home at 44 Hanson Street, Adelaide.
They welcomed their first child; John Percival, on the 12th of September 1907 followed by Maude Amy Elizabeth Annie, on the 25th of August 1908.
John joined the 77th Infantry Battalion at Largs Bay and served for 2 years until his time expired.
At the age of 39, John enlisted into the Australian Infantry Force on the 7th of July 1915 in Keswick and was allotted the service number 4653 and appointed to L Group, Base Infantry Depot at Mitcham Camp.
He was transferred to the 27th Infantry Battalion, 12th Reinforcements on the 1st of March 1916.
John embarked from Adelaide on the 11th of April 1916 on board HMAT Aeneas, disembarking in England for further training.
He proceeded to France on the 25th of June and was taken on strength with the 27th Battalion on the 11th of August, who was in the front line trenches at Armentiers.
Four days later he was promoted to Corporal on the 15th of August.
On the 31st of August John suffered from a very inflamed eye and was eventually admitted into the 4th General Hospital in Camiers.
He was transferred to No 6 Convalescent Depot in Etaples 4 days later, where he remained until the 15th of September when he was discharged to detail camp at the 2nd Division Base Depot.
He was transferred to the 48th Battalion on the 29th of October who was at their billets at Villers-Sous-Ailly.
John spent November in the front line trenches at Flers until they were relieved by the 14th Battalion on the 28th and relocated to Mametz Huts.
He was then transferred back to the 27th Battalion in the 1st of December who was at their billets at St Vast.
They spent Christmas Day 1916 in Melbourne Camp at Montauban.
Although the 27th Battalion participated in minor attacks during the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line in early 1917, they did not carry out a major attack before September.
John proceeded back to England on the 10th of August 1917 and was transferred to the 7th Training Battalion in Codford, in England and appointed to permanent Cadre.
He was then transferred to the 6th Training Battalion at Fovant on the 8th of November, where he remained until the 16th of February 1918 when he was transferred to the overseas Training Battalion Headquarters in Tidworth.
John suffered from a Hernia and was invalided back to Australia on board the Saxon on the 11th of December, disembarking in Adelaide on the 13th February 1919.
John was discharged, medically unfit due to a Hernia, on the 31st of March 1919.
He returned home to his family and Phillip Daniel was born on the 18th of May 1920.
Olive was admitted into the Adelaide Hospital on the 17th of October 1935, but sadly died there 2 days later. John buried her in the West Terrace Cemetery; Section: Road 1 South, Path Number: 15, Plot 37 with her mother Elizabeth and step-father William.
John was admitted into the Adelaide Hospital on the 29th of June 1938, but died in hospital on the 11th of July 1938 and was buried in the West Terrace Cemetery; Light oval, Row 1AN, Plot 3 on the 13th.
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